Proverbs 26
1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, become like him;
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.
7 Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
8 Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
9 Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
[As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!
13 The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
15 The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
17 Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
As he who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!
18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
21 Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
23 Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
24 A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
